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Dialogues@RU is published
annually
by the
Writing Program at
Rutgers, The State
University of New Jersey
Volume 4
Fall 2005
Business Negotiation Served On A Sushi Platter
By Annat T. Katz
Dayna Hunter
Annat Katz's essay engages the topic of international negotiations between American and Japanese businessmen and how they are affected by affect by cultural expectations. Her essay focuses on several areas - language, speech, expression, and the use of strategy. Katz addresses the difficulties facing American businessmen in understanding Japanese culture formed during centuries of geographical isolation and influenced by the Samurai tradition. Using the analysis of Peter Drucker, she suggests that American businessmen receive training in Japanese customs in order to better understand and negotiate with Japanese businessmen. I agree with her ideas, but I think that it takes more than education to fully understand a culture.
In the essay, Katz entertains ideas about the cultural strategies and conduct Japanese businessmen use to "disarm" their opposites, such as silence, cohesiveness, and lack of emotion. She emphasizes that Americans have a tendency to "over-talk themselves," using the art of casual conversation as an attempt to lighten the business mood. However, Japanese see this as a kind of exposure technique that weakens their disposition, and therefore has a negative impact on the impression Americans need to make on Japanese businessmen. Loyalty is one of the highest values of the ancient tradition of the Samurai, and is expressed for Japanese businessmen in loyalty to their jobs, to their partners, but not to themselves. As Katz explains, when making a decision, the Japanese businessman will sacrifice his own opinions in order to make a majority decision amongst his team members in order to avoid the conflict of disagreement. Disagreement and discord go against another ideal they cherish, which is harmony. However, if they portray themselves as harmonious, how can they also portray themselves as emotionless? Perhaps this is just another strategy used for disarming the American businessman.
The problem with Katz's proposal that American businessmen be given training sessions in Japanese culture is that culture is not easily taught. It takes years of study, years of interacting and being able to adapt to a culture in order to understand it. And how about the idea of the Japanese learning about American culture and business conduct? What would happen if Japanese businessmen pushed back the confines of their social, economic, and geographical isolation and came to the United States to learn about business negotiation? Perhaps it would be beneficial to break out of that captivity, but would they be willing to give up the standards and strategies established through their culture and ancient tradition? These are some of the questions I entertained as I read through the essay.
Katz goes a long way toward engaging the complex issues involved with cross-cultural negations, and her use of personal experience is compelling. Altogether, the essay is insightful, and if it were extended to a book where she could fully explore all of the issues she raises, it would be just as successful as her essay.